A funny thing happened on the way to Nathan Deal's Inaugural Gala Monday night at Phillips Arena -- it got cancelled, courtesy of Atlanta's worst ice and snowstorm in a decade. But that didn't stop Georgia's new Republican governor from serving up two spellbinding speeches to mark the first week of the 2011 Georgia General Assembly.

Deal -- not known as a particularly great orator -- was at his vintage best, first on Monday when he gave his inaugural address and then again on Wednesday for his "State of The State" speech. Both were succinct, salient, heart-felt and substantive. Deal waxed eloquent on both days, melding a unique historical perspective with a clear, concise and cogent vision for Georgia's future.

Deal [pictured right] struck the perfect chord between authority and authenticity. Humble yet confident, his duet performance visibly moved the rather crusty and suspect audience on both sides of the aisle. When he finished, you couldn't help but root for the guy.

While the former Army Captain's inaugural remarks set the tone for how he’ll govern, his State of The State oratory laid out clear specifics for what he plans to do.

It wasn't politics as usual. He wasn't mugging to make CNN or national Fox News. He doesn't want to run for President or be Chairman of the Governor's Council. He gave the sincere impression that he just wants to fix the state.

And his message was as clear and compelling as it was resonating: he's going to downsize state government -- big time.

Like his pledge to cut spending, his remarks on both days were effectively economical: less than 20 minutes and neither speech topped 1,700 words.

It was political leadership at its apex.

Regardless of Deal's personal financial foes or his ill-advised strong-arm tactics from his Congressional days that led to ethics charges, the veteran lawmaker rose to the occasion. That's all you can ask of him right now in these troubling economic times.

Deal's genuine humility was on display throughout his first week as Georgia's chief executive. This was no better emphasized then by a comment he made to an hourly worker who was part of the moving crew trying to get his family and their belongings into the ritzy governor's mansion in Buckhead. "Here come the Clampent's," Deal said.

After eight years of former Gov. Sonny Perdue's egotistical and autocratic rule, Deal is more than breath of fresh air. He's a gush of oxygen piped in to cockpit that was near suffocation. 

Editor's note: this edition of The Beacon contains the text and pictures of both speeches in the state news section.

SONNY'S NORTH FULTON LEGACY: THANKS FOR THE MONEY, HONEY

Let's take a moment and examine Perdue's eight year legacy for the state of Georgia, six of which he had the advantage of huge majorities in both branches of the General Assembly. He built a fish hatchery somewhere in South Georgia. Oh, and no alcohol sales on Sunday. I almost overlooked that milestone of political will. Thanks for the memories, Sonny. Both of them.

Now for Sonny's North Fulton legacy: "You pay the tolls, while my cronies get the big bond contracts." Perdue did nothing for North Fulton but take their money. He could care less about the recreation of Milton County. As his going away gift to those of us poor schmucks who live north of I-285 and up Ga. 400, the former governor saddled us with tolls in perpetuity. His last minute political shell game broke the promise of getting rid of the Ga. 400 tolls when the highway was paid off. And to what end? Perdue strong-armed the toll extension by an unwitting North Fulton delegation for one reason: to guarantee the bonds that will be used to give huge state contracts to his cronies for statewide infrastructure improvements. This is the real Perdue legacy: tolls, taxes, fees and cronyism. Not much else.

REDISTRICTING

We all know that Georgia gained a U.S. House seat from the 2010 Census. So we'll be hearing a lot about where the new Congressional lines will be drawn, and how the state House and Senate seats will be reconfigured. The General Assembly goes into special session this spring to figure it out, and there will be a lot of jockeying and even more speculation. Here's my advice: tune it out; it’s a waste of time. Whatever the Republican dominated State Legislature comes up with, the Obama DOJ will most certainly challenge it -- leaving the lines to eventually be re-dawn by a three-judge panel, two of which who will surely be from the Northeast. So it's all pure conjecture. What we do know is that North Fulton, Cherokee and Forsyth will gain seats, and South and far North Georgia will lose seats. But the final lines are anyone's guess, and the courts will change them anyway. It's kind of like the NFL draft. You never really know what happens until the selections are made and the contracts are signed.

"WE'RE ALL REPUBLICANS NOW"

Like former President Bill Clinton said in 1994 when he proclaimed the era of big government was over: "We're all Republicans now," eleven Georgia House and Senate members jumped the Democrat ship, and switched to the GOP.

Is this an ideological trend, a future barometer that foretells Republican dominance and spells doom for Georgia Democrats? Is this some once in a lifetime magnificent political generational shift that promises to render the Georgia Democrat Party meaningless in our lifetime? Hardly. If Republicans think that: get over yourself. Ideology has nothing to do with it. It's called staying alive…and getting re-elected. Better known as: redistricting. Here's the real skinny on the great white flight from the state Democrat Party, the new "gang of 11:" these Democrat members represent sections of the state that are losing House and Senate seats. Their population base went down. So its simple mathematics, and the numbers tell the tale. If a House Democrat is in a district where a seat is being eliminated, the Republican controlled General Assembly will re-draw the lines to insure that two incumbent Democrats are drawn into the same House or Senate District, forcing them to run against each other in a primary. One has to lose. But if that vulnerable House member changes party affiliation, and plays ball with the Republican caucus, they have a much better chance of getting drawn into a safe GOP district where they can run as an incumbent without primary opposition and retain their seat in the Assembly as a loyal GOP member. So it's no ideological shift. It's pure politics at its most raw power level.

THE RE-EMERGENCE OF MILTON COUNTY

While we wrote the re-creation of Milton County off for dead last summer, we are now changing our position. We'll say it in print: Milton County has one last gasp: the 2011 session. But it's now or never (yes, I know, we said that in 2010, too).

Here are the two key reasons why it now has a legitimate shot in this year's session:

One. Those same eleven party switchers referenced above are fighting for their political survival. They need to stay in the good graces of their new GOP caucus friends, who will determine their legislative fate when they start re-drawing district boundaries. While they may have to buck the Republican leadership on some juicy major policy issue, they are not about to blow their political wad on something as meaningless to their South or North Georgia constituents as the re-creation of Milton County is. If you are hanging on for dear life in Fannin county and your new caucus wants you to vote for a constitutional amendment to put the break up Fulton County on the statewide ballot, who cares? Why blow precious political capital on that? This translates into another 11 votes for House Speaker Pro-Tem Jan Jones (R-Milton) [pictured right] she didn't have a month ago.

Two. Georgia Governor Nathan Deal. While Perdue played lip service to Milton County, Deal will go to bat for it. Why? He's very loyal. And he knows he owes his GOP run-off primary victory over Karen Handel to one thing: The "Fab-Five" North Fulton delegation who ravaged his opponent in the press in the final hours of the campaign, stripping Handel of the North Fulton majority she anticipated – and needed – to defeat Deal. The Governor ran within five percentage points of Handel in her home base, dooming her campaign and eventually propelling Deal to the Governor's mansion. Deal knows this is that same delegation's top political priority. He won't let them down -- or sell them out – they way his shameless predecessor did.

So we predict Milton County carries the two-thirds majority it needs to get on the statewide ballot in 2012 by one vote in each chamber.

ALBERS FATIGUE – ALREADY

Like a bad case of chronic rigor mortis, John Albers (R-Roswell) has only been a state senator for five days, and already "Albers fatigue" is setting in. Case in point: over the last four years, here is exactly how many House and Senate press releases I received from the state's most powerful leaders: Speaker Pro-Tem Jan Jones- three; former House Speaker Mark Burkhalter- two; former Senate Caucus Chairman Dan Moody (Albers' predecessor)- two; Senate President Tommie Williams – two; Senate Majority Whip Chip Rogers- two. Juxtapose this to Albers, who has been in office a grand total of one week: He's fired off six.  Does this mean I'll one per day for the next two years? They go like this: Albers slept in his office Sunday night, saves taxpayers $89.95 in lieu of a hotel room at the Hampton Inn. Albers appointed Senate Deputy Whip (along with almost all the other Senate freshman); Albers gets appointed to the following committees: Education, Public Safety, Science and Technology and Ethics. Albers skipped lunch – saved taxpayers $2.50 for a ham sandwich. Albers got a haircut -- you get the picture. I emailed Senate Press Secretary Matt Colvin and told him if I get another Senate Press release from Albers on Monday I'm spanning him out, so his cyber blather will go permanently in my junk box along with 172 Viagra junk emails I get a day.

Speaking of Albers' assignment to the Ethics committee: isn’t this the same guy who impersonated Roswell Councilwoman Betty Price on a robo call in the final days of his run-off campaign against Brandon Beach, first denying it, then admitting it, then denying it again -- even after we traced the calls to his office? Putting Albers on the Senate Ethics Committee is like putting a known arsonist in charge of fire safety. The irony is beyond the political pale.

JUSTIN TOMCZAK ENTERS RACE FOR GAGOP 1ST VICE CHAIR

Conservative grassroots veteran and former Sen. Saxby Chambliss re-election campaign staffer Justin Tomczak announced his intentions to seek the position of 1st Vice Chair of the Georgia Republican Party in his home county at the Cobb GOP breakfast last weekend.
 
Tomczak was introduced by State Rep. Sam Teasley (R-Marietta) who said, “I have known Justin’s work ethic and his commitment to advancing the conservative cause here in Georgia. Having recently won a grassroots election against an incumbent Democrat, I firmly believe we need people in party leadership who are committed to engaging local Republicans in direct voter contact. Justin’s campaign experience and love for the grassroots would be a great asset to the State Party.”

Tomczak [pictured below, celebrating] brings a solid record of experience in Republican politics to the table. He interned for State Rep. Earl Ehrhart in 1999 and the GAGOP in 2003, served as Grassroots and Volunteer Director for the GAGOP in 2004, Political Director for the campaign of Governor Sonny Perdue and most recently served as Political Strategist for the successful campaign of Congressman Tom Graves in Georgia’s 9th District.

"I have worked side by side with Justin and appreciate his servant's heart and tireless commitment to the grassroots in Georgia” said Greene County GOP and 10th District 1st Vice Chair Brian Burdette. "He has vast statewide experience, brings a wide variety of perspectives to the table, holds rock solid conservative values and has a proven record of service."

Former GOP U.S. Congress candidate Liz Carter announced her intent to seek the 1^ST Vice Chair in December. The election takes place at the Republican State Convention in May.

SANDY SPRINGS GOES PRO-BUSINESS

The Sandy Springs City Council voted last week to establish reductions in the occupation tax to benefit businesses located in the city. The reductions include a blanket out-of-state sales exemption and a blanket franchise fee exemption for franchisees, which are located out-of-state. In addition, the Council further reduced the cap on maximum occupation tax paid in any one tax-year from $400,000 to $75,000. Moreover, seeking to ensure that the reductions benefit all businesses, the City Council authorized an eight percent across-the-board reduction on all occupation taxes for all city businesses.

Brandon Beach, president & CEO of The Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce, saluted the city's pro business incentives. "These reductions make Sandy Springs appealing to companies looking to relocate or open a new business," said Beach.

"The limitations to the business license tax that the City of Sandy Springs today adopted reflect the Council’s commitment to our business community. The health of our city depends equally on the preservation of residential values and the prosperity of our commercial establishments," said Sandy Springs Mayor Eva Galambos [pictured right].

Sandy Springs City Council member Ashley Jenkins [pictured left] said, "The economic incentive package passed by the City Council benefits not only our corporate headquarters but also the local retail establishments who choose to make Sandy Springs their home. This reduction shows the city’s commitment to our wonderful business community and makes us very attractive for new businesses looking to relocate."

Meanwhile, Roswell continues to treat its businesses as Lepers in the midst of the Great Bubonic Plague.